Temporary or permanent support for vehicle solid band-tires



B. AND S. H. LEE.

TEMPORARY QR PERMANENT SUPPORT FOR ,VEHICLE SOLID BAND TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31. I9I8 Patented July 26, 1921.

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B. AND S. H. LEE.

TEMPORARY 0R PERMANENT SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE SOLID BAND TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 3I| I9IB.

1,385,920. Patented July 26, 1921..

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E IZEHIFFE /%zzr ilfamfyr- B. AND S. H. LEE. TEMPORARY 0R PERMANENTSUPPORT FOR VEHICLE SOLID BAND TIRES.

- APPLICATION FILED min. 3i, 191a.

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f /{Lee UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

BENJAMIN LEE AND SAM HARRY Len, or'sANKnr, ENGLAND.

T'IEMLBORARY on PERMANENT surron'r ron vErricLE soLIn BAND-TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26-, 1921.

Application filed January 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,713.

T 0 all-whom it may concern.

- Be it known that we, BENJAMIN LEE and SAM HARRY LEE, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Sankey, in the county of Lancaster and Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Temporary or Permanent Supports for Vehicle Solid Band-Tires, of which the following is a specification. i

The present invention relates to an improved device or arrangement capable in one adaptation as a temporary support for solid band tires forvehicles in the process of manufacture and in another adaptation as a vehicle wheel to hold a finished solidband tire.

In the making of a solid band tire, it is.

usual to build unvulcanized rubber on a rim, and then to subject this to hydraulic pressure under suitable temperature with a view to vulcanizing the rubber. Such a metal annulus with its rubber tread is then slipped, usually by hydraulic pressure, on to the felly of the wheel of the vehicle destined to carry it.

Now difiiculties have hitherto been present in the clamping of the wheel annulus adapted to carry the rubber tread during the vulcanizing period. If the rim or annulus was not an accurate fit on the core ring, then it was necessary to insert packing, and under a high hydraulic pressure this packing often shifted and caused the buckling of the rim. In replacing rims which have received a new tread upon wheels, there has also been found to be the disadvantage that the rim has expanded and permanent packing has to be inserted on the inner surface of the rim, so that it is once again a close fit on the felly of the wheel.

Now according to the present invention, an expandible core ring is provided adapted to engage internally the rim, or annulus carrying the rubber treads, which expandible ring is formed of a substantially circular member. This member consists of two integral parts, each part being semi-circular, but olfset relatively to the other part; that is to say that the circular parts may be of similar radius but with diflerent centers.

Between this member and the internal surface of the rim are placed two or more pieces tapering circularly. These pieces, where forinstance two are used, will have their broadest section obviously arranged at the offset. point of the two parts of the above mentioned member, and, if desired may have a short lip projecting under the end portion of the other part of the said member.

he present invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figureil shows the application of the invention in one form of vehicle, while Fig. 2 is a corresponding cross-section view thereof, v

Fig. 3 shows the'application of the intion ina modified form of a temporary support for molding tires upon a rim.

Fig. 4 shows. a cross-section on the line A, B, of Fig. 3.

- Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line C, D, of Fig. 3. j a

The circular rim 1 may beof anynsual standard form to receive the solid band tire or the like. For the purpose of fitting this rim 1 on the wheel 2, the fixed rim 3 of the wheel is formed with a pair of outer eccentric surfaces 4, 5, adapted to engage with corresponding surfaces on the inner side of a wedge ring 6.

This wedge ring 6 may be displaced relatively to the fixed rim of the wheel 2 by the engagement of a suitable tool with slots 7 therein, or the wheel 2 could be turned rela tively to the wedge wheel 6 by the engagement of a tool with perforations 8 therein.

The wedge ring 6 carries bolts 9, which pass through slots 10 in the fixed rim 3 and so form means to guide the wedge ring on the said fixed rim.

The fixed rim 3 may be provided with a pair of set screws 11, adapted to engage the surface of the wedge ring 6 so that the fixed rim and the wedge ring can be locked in any desired relative position of adjustment.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of the invention as applied to a rim during the manufacture of a tire thereon. The rim with the tire 12 thereon is pressed within the mold 13, adapted to be subjected to hydraulic pressure. This would cause possibly the internal buckling of the rim, to prevent which an expandible member consisting of two parts 14, 15, is provided.

These parts 14, 15 are circular on their outside edge, but have eccentric inner edges 16, 17 adapted to cooperate with corresponding surfaces on a thrust member or rin formed of two halves 18, 19, bolted together by means of bolts 20, and guided on the wedge ring or parts 14, 15 by means of bolts y the wedge ring.

21 in a similar manner to the guide of the scribed with reference to Figs. 1,2.

The .idisplacement of the wedge ring formed of parts i l, 15 relatively to the circular internal periphery,

thrust memberor ring formed 19,- is obtained by the rotation of a bolt '21 having a hexagon head 22, and-which has keyed thereon a Worm Wheel 23 engaging with a rack 24:, boltedtothe part 14: of Consequently'by turning the bolt-head '22, by means of aspanner a reactionary thrust is obtained fixedxpart 14, relative rotation is produced between these partswheel so that the part 14 will be expanded owing to the eccentric surfaces 16', sliding over one another.

The wedge ring 14,15 and the thrust ring 18, 19 may be lightened by the cut-tout of theparts such as 25.

It is obvious, of courseythat instead fof hav-- ing a wedge ring and cooperating thrust membentwoxeccentric surfaces 4, 501: any a V of parts 18, 7

about the center of the number of off-set eccentric surfaces can be provided. a r

We declare that what we claim is A tire support-comprisingra rim having a a rotatable onepiece member within said rim having a circular outer surface capable of expansion,

internal partiallycircular surfaces integral with said member and 'stag'gered'eccentrrcally to the center of rotation .ofthe mem- -ber.,; a separate abutment ring having external complementary: surfaces thereon, circularly disposed and cooperating means. be-' tweenv said rim and said: rotatable member to positively displace said member relatively tosaid rim to cause expansionof the said rotatablemember into engagement with said Tim. V 1 r i In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names'thisfifth day of November 191?,in the :presence of twosubsciibingwitl SAMHARRY LEE.

Witnesses: f 5 f I 1 JQVICIORARMsTRONG, V

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